In the world of modern web and mobile applications, APIs are the bridge between the frontend and backend. Two major API architectures dominate the space today: REST and GraphQL. Both are powerful, but they serve different needs and come with their own pros and cons.

So how do you choose which one is right for your project?

Let’s break it down.

What Is REST?

REST (Representational State Transfer) is an architectural style that uses standard HTTP methods like GET, POST, PUT, and DELETE. It has been the default API standard for more than a decade and is widely adopted due to its simplicity and ease of use.

What Is GraphQL?

GraphQL is a query language for APIs, developed by Facebook in 2012 and open-sourced in 2015. Instead of fixed endpoints, GraphQL exposes a single endpoint where clients can query exactly what they need.

When to Use REST

Your API is simple and doesn’t require dynamic data fetching.

You want to use standard HTTP features like status codes, headers, and caching.

Your team is already familiar with REST and needs to move fast.

SEO and traditional web caching are important.

When to Use GraphQL

Your frontend requires custom, nested data and makes multiple requests.

You want to reduce the number of roundtrips to the server.

You’re building a complex app (e.g., social media, dashboard, mobile-first app).

You're working with multiple clients (web, mobile, smartwatch) that need different data structures.